HKBU Confers Honorary Doctoral Degree upon Dr Andy Lau

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) conferred the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa upon Dr Andy Lau Tak-wah at the Honorary Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony held on August 10 for his outstanding professional achievements and remarkable contributions to society.

At HKBU’s Honorary Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony: Dr Andy Lau Tak-wah (centre); Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU (2nd right); Dr Sunny Chai, Deputy Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU (2nd left); Mr Kevin Liem, Treasurer of the Council and the Court of HKBU (1st right); and Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU (1st left). Photo source: HKBU

Dr Lau is best known as an entertainment superstar. His rags-to-riches story, as a local boy made good, exemplifies the opportunities Hong Kong can offer to those who are willing and able. Dr Lau’s own acting career began when he enrolled in a TV actor training programme in 1981. He landed his first leading role at the age of 20 in a television drama, which shot him to instant fame.

His career as a singer also took off in the early 80s. Since then, he has released over 100 albums in Cantonese and in Putonghua and sold over 48 million albums. He holds the Guinness World Records for the “Most Awards Won by a Cantopop Male Artist” in 2000, accumulating close to 500 music awards to date. His songs are heard not only across the Chinese Mainland, but across the entire Chinese diaspora worldwide.

As for films, having appeared in over 160 films, Dr Lau’s versatility as an actor is simply endless. He has won three Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor and two Golden Horse Awards for Best Leading Actor. In 1991, he started his own production company and saw movies through a uniquely Hong Kong lens, as well as gave opportunities to countless local talents.

Dr Andy Lau Tak-wah gives his vote of thanks. Photo source: HKBU

Dr Lau gives back not just through the movie industry but also through his charity foundation. His philanthropic work includes generously donating to natural disaster relief, giving to the education of children in impoverished areas across the Chinese Mainland, participating in fundraising performances, and showing particular concern for people with disabilities. In this uncertain age of artificial intelligence (AI), one thing seems sure: AI can never “be” Dr Lau because it cannot take the role of his humanity, his talent and the emotional connections he has built within the Chinese communities through his art.

The Conferment Ceremony was presided over by Dr Kennedy Y H Wong, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU. Guests attending the ceremony included Dr Sunny Chai, Deputy Chairman of the Council and the Court; Mr Kevin Liem, Treasurer of the Council and the Court; and Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU.

Dr Andy Lau Tak-wah is conferred the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa by HKBU. Photo source: HKBU

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Alex Wai said that a household and international name known for his versatility, artistry and charisma, Dr Andy Lau Tak-wah is the epitome of excellence and determination.

Professor Alex Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, delivers an address. Photo source: HKBU

Professor Wai highlighted that Dr Lau’s passion for the performing arts, impeccable work ethics and generous spirit have transformed the entertainment industry, giving artists and creative professionals the spotlight they deserve. Professor Wai said: “Above all, his humility and enthusiasm in giving back to the community, nurturing the young and supporting the underprivileged through different charitable channels and his own foundation, continue to inspire and shine a light on those in need.”

Following the ceremony, Dr Lau attended a sharing session titled “In dialogue with Dr Andy Lau”, engaging with over 700 HKBU students and staff. The session also featured Dr Ann Hui On-wah, acclaimed filmmaker and recipient of the HKBU honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in 2023. Together, they reflected on their seamless collaboration on films over the years. They also shared the stories behind their career development and fascinating life experiences, offering valuable inspiration to the audience.

Dr Andy Lau Tak-wah (centre) and Dr Ann Hui On-wah, acclaimed filmmaker and recipient of HKBU’s honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in 2023 (right), attend the sharing session and engage with HKBU students and staff. Photo source: HKBU

Over 700 HKBU students and staff attend the sharing session. Photo source: HKBU

Marine biologists from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have identified two new soft coral species, Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. and Paraminabea inflata sp. nov, from the urban waters of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Zhuhai. With these additions, the number of known species in their respective genus, Parasphaerasclera and Paraminabea, has increased to 11, with Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. being the first of its kind reported from the China Seas.

New soft corals species: Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. Photo source: HKBU

Soft coral taxonomy is challenging because different species can closely resemble one another in appearance, and genetic data are limited. In the China Seas, only four digitate or lobate soft coral species in the genus Paraminabea had been documented before this study.

Professor Qiu Jianwen, Professor of the Department of Biology at HKBU, who led the research team, said, “The study expands what we know about soft coral diversity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It also shows that even in urbanised waters, significant cryptic biodiversity remains to be documented and protected.”

Since 2023, Professor Qiu’s team has collected eight coral colonies at about 15 to 25 metres depth from the rocky reefs off Hong Kong’s Sung Kong Island and Zhuhai’s Heizhou Island. Among these colonies, they have identified two new species, Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. and Paraminabea inflata sp. nov., for the first time worldwide.

Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. was discovered in the waters off Hong Kong’s Sung Kong Island. It displays bright orange-red colour and forms colonies that are digitiform in shape with a conspicuous stalk and branches. Usually found scattered on boulders with other coral species, it is characterised by the presence of stalk sclerites including spindle-shaped elements such as rare tuberculated spindles. This marks the first discovery of a Parasphaerasclera species in Hong Kong.

A colony of Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. with extended tentacles. Photo source: HKBU

Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. is found in the waters of both Hong Kong and Zhuhai. It is the third Paraminabea species discovered in Hong Kong over the past 15 years. Attached to the rock surfaces in the sea, it forms colonies that are yellow or orange in colour with long polyps. It has unique sclerites including tuberculated spheroids, and was misidentified in the past as another coral species.

New soft coral species Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. in the field. Photo source: HKBU

The HKBU research team identified these two new coral species using integrative taxonomy, an approach that combines morphological and genetic data for species delimitation. They worked out the DNA sequencing of the species and clarified their evolutionary relationships: Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. is sister to an Australian coral species while Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. is sister to a Hong Kong local species. Their genetic and morphological distinctions from these sister species justify the recognition of these new species.

New soft coral species Paraminabea inflata sp. nov. in laboratory. Photo source: HKBU

In addition, the team also assembled the mitochondrial genomes (mitochondrion is an essential organelle found in cells which generates chemical energy to support cell activities) of the two new species, as well as another species of digitate soft coral (Paraminabea rubeusa) discovered in Hong Kong, providing genetic data to calculate the genetic distances of soft corals. Professor Qiu said, “Our research highlights the value of integrative taxonomy in identifying soft corals with similar appearance and provides new mitochondrial genomic resources to advance their taxonomy in the Indo-Pacific.”

Led by Professor Qiu, members of the research team include Dr Li Yixuan, Post-doctoral Research Fellow; Loke Haixin, PhD student; Janice Ng Wing-yan, undergraduate student of the Department of Biology at HKBU; and Professor Liu Lan, Professor of the School of Marine Sciences at Sun Yat‑sen University. The research findings have been published in the international journal Ecology and Evolution.

A research team led by Professor Qiu Jianwen (left), with members including Dr Li Yixuan, Post-doctoral Research Fellow (middle) and Loke Haixin, PhD student (right) of the Department of Biology at HKBU, discovered two new species of soft corals, Parasphaerasclera dimorpha sp. nov. and Paraminabea inflata sp. nov., from the waters of Hong Kong and Zhuhai respectively. Photo source: HKBU

Corals are commonly divided into hard corals and soft corals. Hard corals have received more attention because they build reefs, which are essential for marine habitats and are highly sensitive to environmental threats. A total of 90 hard coral species have been recorded in Hong Kong. Soft corals are flexible, do not build reefs, and often thrive in habitats unsuitable for hard corals. Prior surveys found only 29 species in Hong Kong, with limited genetic data available.